Updated June 26, 2020 3.5K votes 1.0K voters 36.1K views
Voting Rules
Vote up the subplots you think deserve their own movies.
A movie's main plot is what drives the story and keeps audiences engaged. However, the best movie subplots are frequently the parts of many films that keep audiences talking, as opposed to the main story arc. Subplots provide depth to a primary plot, and sometimes, even steal the show.
Sure, sometimes a subplot with a bunch of holes can distract from the primary purpose of a film. But the best writers and movie-makers know that dynamic characters can have their own stories, which drive the plot into more exciting directions. Unexplained moments in a movie could leave an audience unsatisfied, but when a film creator knows how to weave a subplot into a film's first story effectively, it creates a more human and engaging movie, whether it's animated or "real life."
Frequently, a subplot could be the aspect of a film that keeps a fan engaged. While the original story usually has the elements of a traditional plot, a great subplot inspires cult followings and analysis years after the release of a successful film.
The 1980s movie, The Princess Bride, is a classic enjoyed by all ages and genders. Like Frozen, even young boys love this film for reasons they can't articulate. And that reason probably has less to do with the appearance of Andre The Giant than they think. Maybe it's the timeless subplot about a man seeking to avenge the death of his father. Inigo Montoya follows the film's primary protagonist, Westley, and he becomes one of Westley's independent side-kicks. However, the moment when Montoya gets to showcase his swordsman skill-set and defeat one of the antagonists of the film, Count Rugen, the man responsible for killing Montoya's father, gets viewers wholly engaged. Montoya's revenge pushes the love story of Westley and Buttercup to the back burner.
While Superbad undoubtedly stands on its own, the subplot involving Fogell's friendship with the police played by Bill Hader and Seth Rogen dominates the film. Superbad is ultimately about the friendship between Seth and Evan. However, when people discuss this movie, it takes approximately 15 seconds before someone screams, "McLovin!" This subplot is a prime example of how a b-story can take over a film.
The Sandlot is a childhood classic for many. The main plot focuses on a group of friends who need to retrieve a Babe Ruth autographed ball from a fierce (well, not really) dog. However, even this great film and its plot seem to get overshadowed by the relationship between Scotty Smalls and Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez. The all-star athlete Rodriguez mentors Smalls and offers the lonely unathletic kid friendship when he needs it the most. In return, Smalls is a lifetime fan of Rodriguez, and roots on Rodriguez after the baseball player makes it to the "big leagues."
Snape is an interesting character in the Harry Potter films. His backstory seems to steal the show in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows. We learn about Snape's struggles fitting in and his love for Harry's mother, Lily. Ultimately, Snape's character had to appear to be bad, so that good could prevail. And that subplot provides another layer of interesting for Harry Potter fans to explore in the Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows.
Napoleon Dynamite is a cult hit. It's more or less about Napoleon's inability to fit in and his journey to help Pedro win class president. However, Kip's online love story with Lafawnduh has inspired some of the best quote-worthy moments in the film. Kip could definitely star in a follow-up movie, one that, of course, focuses on the online exploits and cage fighting of Kip. This film about nothing has something for everyone to latch on to and quote during parties.
Disney's live action remake of the classic animated film, Beauty, and the Beast, had children and adults ecstatic. While the film mostly focuses on Emma Watson's character, Belle, the selfless heroine and the Beast's attempt to win her affections, the subplot of the Beast's helpers who are trapped living as typically inanimate objects provides a more interesting subplot. The Beast's servants are trapped living as objects like an armoire, candlestick, and a clock.
The punishment of the servants arrives from their lack of quality control on the Beast during his life as a human being. The audience watches the suffering and hopes that the servants express as they foster the relationship of Belle and Beast for their own gain. The subplot kind of leaves the audience wondering if the servants ever stopped acting with self-interest - a character trait antithetical to Belle's character.
